Gateway: Cocaine, Murder, & Dirty Money in Europe

It’s been a couple of months since the last episode of Gateway: Cocaine, Murders & Dirty Money in Europe, but business is busy as ever in the world of global drug trafficking. This week, we wanted to share an important update with fans of the series: Ridouan Taghi has been sentenced. If you listened to Gateway, you’ll know Taghi rose to become a ruthless ruler of the underworld. But in February 2024, the cocaine kingpin was finally toppled for good when he was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Netherlands. In an interview for the Whale Hunting podcast, Gateway host Mitch Prothero spoke to Bradley Hope on the latest developments, including Taghi’s mega-trial in ‘ze Bunker’, and why shows like Narcos no longer capture the reality of modern cocaine trafficking. We wanted to share this interview here, too. To discover Ridouan Taghi's story from the very beginning, listen to episode one of Gateway: Cocaine, Murder and Dirty Money in Europe. For more episodes like this one, make sure to follow the Whale Hunting podcast – and you can subscribe to our newsletter at whalehunting.projectbrazen.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Gateway host Mitchell Prothero visits “The Bunker” where Taghi is the star defendant in the largest criminal trial in Dutch history. As Taghi faces justice, his impact spreads far beyond the courtroom. Who will be the next kingpin to replace him? This is GATEWAY, a six-part podcast from Project Brazen revealing the rise of a new generation of cocaine kingpins in Europe. Gateway is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.  For more fearless storytelling, visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/

Dutch TV journalist Peter R De Vries, famous for cracking criminal cases, joins a legal team for a high-profile trial against drug kingpin Ridouan Taghi. The podcast explores the threats faced by the star witness and his family, the dangers encountered by Peter, and the challenges of forming a defense team. It also discusses the shocking murder of a prominent lawyer and teases a future confrontation with someone named Rude Wantagi.

Nabil B, a close associate of Ridouan Taghi, becomes the crown witness after fearing for his life. The podcast covers mistaken killings, Taghi's arrest in Dubai, and the largest criminal trial in Dutch history.

Martin Kok, a twice-convicted murderer and popular crime blogger, faces dangerous consequences when he publishes Ridouan Taghi's name. This podcast explores Kok's transformation from criminal to crime blogger and his provocative interviews with police. It also dives into the extravagant wedding of Daniel Kinahan and the dangerous world of 'whales' in nightclubs and casinos.

Noffel Fassih, aka The Belly, a global hitman, faces challenges as his operations are jeopardized. Taghi, the empire builder, finds a new safe haven in Dubai. The podcast explores a notorious shisha lounge, a mistaken car burning, and an assassination plot. It also delves into Dublin's criminal connections and the hidden world of ultra-wealthy 'whales'.

Ridouan Taghi, a rising drug lord in Europe's cocaine empire, is the focus of this podcast. It explores his rise to power, the shocking violence associated with the cocaine trade, and the shift from hashish to cocaine. The podcast also delves into the dangerous figure of Ridwan Tagi and the escalating violence in the Netherlands, as well as the concept of 'whales' in the clandestine world.

Mitchell Prothero, host and lead reporter, shares the inside story of his series GATEWAY: Cocaine, Murder, & Dirty Money in Europe. It explores Europe's cocaine crisis, violent cartel leaders, corrupt cops, brave journalists and lawyers. The influx of cocaine has turned European ports into global gateways, and the continent may become the next narco-state. The podcast sheds light on the impact of cocaine on Northern European ports, the Moroccan Mafia war, the rise of the European narco state, and the hidden world of cocaine.

Innocent people are getting murdered. Lawyers live in safehouses, and a princess is in hiding. This is Europe today—it just might be the world’s next narco-state. Over the past decade, the historic European ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp have turned into global gateways for cocaine. Think Miami in the 1980s — but with even more drugs, and much shittier weather. In this six-part podcast series, host Mitchell Prothero explores Europe’s cocaine crisis through the dramatic stories of cartel leaders, cops, journalists, and the victims caught in the middle. From RPG attacks on newspaper offices to the slaughter of entire families, the war on drugs has arrived on Europe’s shores. And a lot of people are making a lot of dirty money. Reporting from Antwerp and Amsterdam, Project Brazen goes deep inside this crazy under-reported story. For more, visit gateway.projectbrazen.com Gateway is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes, ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.  For more fearless storytelling, visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoicesSupport our show by becoming a premium member! https://brazen.fm/plus/